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Sylvia Gonzales, a 51-year-old female, is at the office for a 3-month return che

ID: 138274 • Letter: S

Question

Sylvia Gonzales, a 51-year-old female, is at the office for a 3-month return check for her newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. She states that she has taken the medication she received for her “sugar” and she knows the doctor wants to a do a special “sugar test” this time. Her medication list includes Januvia® 100 mg daily.

The physician has ordered a fasting blood sugar (FBS) and a hemoglobin A1C blood test. You will need to perform both of these waived tests in your office lab.

What type of controls do you expect to use when measuring Sylvia’s blood glucose?

When should you run the controls?

Explanation / Answer

Answer: A fasting blood sugar level from 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes. If it's 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests, it means diabetes. Oral glucose tolerance test. For this test, fasting overnight, and the fasting blood sugar level is measured. Depending on what type of diabetes you have, blood sugar monitoring, insulin and oral medications may play a role in your treatment. Eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and participating in regular activity also are important factors in managing diabetes.

Careful monitoring is the only way to make sure that your blood sugar level remains within your target range. People with type 2 diabetes who aren't taking insulin generally check their blood sugar much less frequently